10,000 Small Businesses

Goldman Sachs' CEO Lloyd Blankfein, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett and Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter are the chairs of the program's advisory council.

[1][2] The program was launched in the face of mounting criticism over Goldman Sachs' large bonus payouts after repaying (with interest) $10 billion in TARP funds it received from the U.S.

[6][7] As of September 2013, small business owners in all 50 states can apply to the program through an online curriculum or at one of 13 community college sites.

[8] Networking and mentoring will be offered through partnerships with national and local business organizations, as well as employees of Goldman Sachs.

The partner institutions and organizations include establishments in both academia and nonprofit sectors,[12] as well as mission driven capital lenders.